Assessments
Diagnostic Assessments
A diagnostic assessment is the only way to really understand if someone is dyslexic and where their particular strengths and weaknesses lie. We use a variety of assessment measures and professional assessors who are highly qualified, assessed for competence and required to undertake mandatory CPD (continuing professional development).
Guidance : What to Look for in a Dyslexia Assessor (pdf): This document will tell you more about the qualifications and experience you should look for in a dyslexia assessor.
We recommend that employers offer a diagnostic assessment for any staff that may be dyslexic. This gives the employer protection under the Equality Act 2010, and ensures that reasonable adjustments are properly tailored to the individual so there is no waste on expenditure.
The British Dyslexia Association are able to offer diagnostic assessments. The cost of an assessment is £450 (+ VAT) with a specialist teacher and £600 (+ VAT) with an Educational Psychologist. Assessments are conducted by Specialist Teacher/Assessors with current Assessing Practising Certificate (APC) or Psychologists registered with the Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC).
The assessment will normally take around 2.5 to 3 hours and the report will be sent through to you within 15 working days. If you require any futher copies of the report at a later date, there will be a charge of £10.
Please note, we will try and arrange an assessment within three weeks of receiving the booking form, however there is more availability in some parts of the UK than others. We will always try and accommodate urgent appointments. We will try to find you an assessor local to you, however sometimes it may be necessary to travel.
For further information, or if you wish to book a diagnostic assessment, please download the relevant Information Sheet and Booking Pack from below:
Information Sheets:
Information Sheet: Diagnostic Assessments for Children and under-16s (pdf)
Information Sheet: Diagnostic Assessments for Post-16 and Adults (pdf)
Information Sheet: Diagnostic Assessments in the Workplace (pdf)
Information Sheet: Available Services for Workplace Support (pdf)
Booking Packs:
Booking Pack: Diagnostic Assessment for Children and under-16s (pdf)
Booking Pack: Diagnostic Assessment for Adults and Post-16s (pdf)
Assessments for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
For individuals thinking about going to university you may be able to apply for DSA. DSA are Student Finance grants that help to pay for extra assistive technology and specialist support that you may need as a direct result of your specific learning difficulty.
In order to apply for this grant you will need an up-to date (post-16 years) diagnostic assessment. BDA Assessments can organise an assessment with an appropriate diagnostic assessor for you. The cost of an assessment is £450 (+VAT) with a Specialist Teacher or £600 (+VAT) with an Educational Psychologist - please see the information sheets above for further details.
We would recommend that you book this assessment as early as possible to avoid delays in receiving the support that you may need with your course at university. Additional information about DSA and the application process can be found at: http://www.yourdsa.com
Workplace Needs Assessments
Workplace Needs Assessments are delivered by our trained workplace assessors to determine the reasonable adjustments required for an individual with dyslexia. Our service is very comprehensive, including pre survey which ensures the most efficient time spent on site with you. We only use workplace assessors who have completed their training with the BDA and have satisfied our requirements to be a 'competent' person in this field.
We organise CPD opportunities to ensure our assessors maintain cutting edge knowledge on the range of available adustments. The BDA has led the professional development of workplace assessment so employers have the satisfaction of knowing they are in safe hands of the leading institute.
The British Dyslexia Association are able to offer a Workplace Needs Assessment for £375 (+ VAT).
The below information sheet on Dyslexia Workplace Support may be of use in explaining the workplace solutions we can offer.
Information Sheet: Available Services for Workplace Support (pdf)
Information Sheet: Professional Standards & Ethics for Workplace Needs Assessors (pdf)
Booking Pack: Workplace Needs Assessment (pdf)
Contact Us
To book an assessment contact: assessments@bdadyslexia.org.uk